Author(s): Patric Gagne

Psychology | Biography and Memoir

'Your friends would probably describe me as nice. But guess what? I can't stand your friends. I'm a liar. I'm a thief. I'm highly manipulative. I don't care what other people think. I'm capable of almost anything.'

Sociopath: A Memoir is at once a mesmerizing tale of a life lived on the edge of the law, a redemptive love story and a moving account of one woman's battle to create a place for herself and the 5% of the population who are also - like her - sociopaths.

Ever since she was a small child, Patric Gagne knew she was different. Although she felt intense love for her family and her best friend, David, these connections were never enough to make her be 'good', or to reduce her feelings of apathy and frustration. As she grew older, her behaviour escalated from petty theft through to breaking and entering, stalking, and worse.

As an adult, Patric realized that she was a sociopath. Although she instantly connected with the official descriptions of sociopathy, she also knew they didn't tell the full story: she had a plan for her life, had nurtured close relationships and was doing her best (most of the time) to avoid harming others. As her darker impulses warred against her attempts to live a settled, loving life with her partner, Patric began to wonder - was there a way for sociopaths to integrate happily into society? And could she find it before her own behaviour went a step too far?

Review: A surprising, thoughtful and deeply personal exploration of what it means to be a sociopath. -- Pandora Sykes
A fascinating memoir * Stylist magazine *
[A] remarkable and scandalously entertaining memoir ... addictively page-turning book * The Telegraph *
She is compelling, like a movie character - a sociopath who's beautiful, warm and funny, articulate and charming * The Guardian *
She [Patric Gagne] not only tells her extraordinary story , she also... urges us to be more understanding of sociopaths * You Magazine *
A heart-rending account of a lonely child growing up into a lonely adult, misunderstood and unable to connect with people... * iNews *
Jaw-dropping * The Times *

Author Biography: Patric Gagne is a writer, therapist, and advocate for people suffering from sociopathic, psychopathic, and anti-social personality disorders. She earned a PhD in clinical psychology with a dissertation that examined the relationship between sociopathy and anxiety. This research became the groundwork for her continued studies on sociopathic disorder, as well as the foundation for her memoir. When she is not working with patients or running after her small children, Patric volunteers as a grief counselor specializing in violent crime.